able Divine, how men calling themselves Christians, and being (some of them) Formally Religious, do prove themselves Selfdeceiving Hypocrites, by their unbridled tongues , in reviling at those as Puritans and too precise, that will not be self-deceiving Formalists as well as they. I shall only add some of Bishop Halls charaeters of an Hypocrite, that you: may see what Formality is in the judgement of knowing men.

Page 169. Walking early up into the City, be turns into the great Church, and salutes one of the pile lars on one knee'; worshipping that Goäwhich at home be cares nor for, while his eye is fixed on. Some wins' dlow, or some passenger, and his heart knows not whither his lips go. He rises, and looking about with admiration, complains un our frozen charity, commends the ancient with the superfinity of his ufury,

be

he builds an Hospital, and harbours them whom bis extortion hath Spoiled; so while he makes muny beggars, he keeps fome. He turneth all gnats into Camels, and cares not to ardo the world for a circumftance. Flesh on a Friday is more abomination to him, then his neighbours bed. He abhors mare not to uncover at the name of Jesus, then to swear by the name of God. ] &c. So Bishop Hall

But, perhaps you't say, These perfons whom you describe, thác will make a mock of godliness it felf, are not to be numbred with Hypocrites, but with the openly prophane."

To which I answer, 1. Even these profess themselves to be Christians, and therefore are Hypocrites when they are not what they do profess. 2. They perswade themselves that they are as truly godly as those that they

reproach: and do not think that
it is godliness indeed for which
they do reproach them : But for
engrossing the name or reputation
of Godliness to themselves, and for
fome differing manner or way of
worship. For this is one of the
most notable cheats, by which the
devil undoes the empty Formal
Hypocrite: Finding that this man
doth own Christianity, in his
Opinion, but is void of the true.
Spirit, and power and life of Chri-
stian Religion, be raisesh. some
controverfies between the serious
Christian and the Hypocrite about
fome controvertible points of do:
Arine, or about some modes or
circumstances of Discipline and
external worship: and when they
fall into two sides, the Hypocrite
thinks that it is but in these con-
troversies that the difference lyes::
The question, . (thinks he) is not
wliether, men should be regene.

rate, godly and Religious : But whether my way of Religion or the Puricans and Precisans be better! ] And presently he hënce concludes, that indeed it is he that is the more truly Religious : [For (faith he)my judgement is sound, and the Puritans is erroneous : I am of the judgement of the Church, which he is against : The Reverend Prelates; or Doctors are more of my fide then on his : I am for order, and he is for confusion, and unreverence, and followech the humours and fancies of his own brain.] and thus the Devil turneth his eye' from the main difference, and makes him believe that it is these controverfies that are all that fets them at a distance. But alas man, thou - Overlookeft the point that thy life and foul lyeth on. Agree first in the serious hearty entertainment and practice ofthe substance of that holy truth,

which you are both in point of Opinion agreed in, and do not condemn thy self in the things which thou allowest ; contradict not thy Creed and profession by thy flesh ly, worldly, negligent, careless and ungodly life; but love God with all thy heart and might; and first seek his Kingdom and bis Righteousness (which thou confessest thou shouldest, do) and then the principal difference is healed, and chou hast scaped the principal danger of thy soul : and then it is not a few circumftantial differences that will divide your hearts, or divide you from cach other in the life to come. Men chat differ aboutBishops and ceremonies and forms of prayer, may be all true Christians, and dear to one another and to Christ, if they be pradically agreed in the life of godliness, and joyn in a holy, heavenly conversation. But if you